Michelle says she spent the next few days calling family, friends and vendors. Even though the wedding was off, contracts had been signed and vendors had to be paid. So Marxen and her family decided to make lemonade out of lemons and throw a party for someone else.

"You can't heal if you're just going to dwell on what could have been," Marxen said.

The Crystal Ballroom at the Ramada in Fargo, N.D., would host a Halloween celebration for clients of the Creative Care for Reaching Independence organization, according to WDAY-TV (http://bit.ly/164pRgq ).

Jody Hudson, of CCRI, said she was speechless when she got the news about the Halloween party.

"I could not believe it. I called the next day to make sure it was for real," Hudson said.

"What was supposed to be my special day will now be their special day," said Marxen.

The donation is similar to one made to Hosea Feed the Hungry recently in Atlanta. Willie and Carol Fowler donated their daughter's abruptly-cancelled wedding reception to about 200 homeless individuals who enjoyed a four-course meal at Villa Christina in Atlanta.